Philadelphia Eagles: The new bird lands in the nest

FILE 0- In this Dec. 30, 2011 file photo, Oregon head coach Chip Kellywatches practice in Carson, Calif. The Philadelphia Eagles have hired Kelly after he originally chose to stay at Oregon. Kelly becomes the 21st coach in team history and replaces Andy Reid, who was fired on Dec. 31 after a 4-12 season.(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

PHILADELPHIA — Chip Kelly enjoyed his first reception as head coach of the Eagles so much he didn’t bother to use the new golf visor he was given.

Amid a swarm of media, fans shouting “Chip” and light in the heart of Northeast Philadelphia Airport darkness, Kelly walked into the pile Wednesday night to answer questions, sign autographs and feel the burn.

“I know there’s a rabid fan base here, which is good,” Kelly said shortly after exiting the private jet of Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie. “I got a text on the plane that I was getting tracked like Santa Claus, which is flattering until I remembered that the Philly fans booed Santa Claus.”

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Kelly let the laughter subside in just the right manner that his predecessor, Andy Reid, never seemed to be able to process.

“I hope they don’t boo me,” Kelly said. “I’m just excited to be here. It’s an exciting time and I’m ready to go to work.”

The Eagles rolled the dice on Kelly, who at Oregon produced points at a blistering pace of nearly 50 a game this past season to cap a four-year reign in which the Ducks fashioned a 46-7 record.

The Eagles are coming off a 4-12 season in which points, excitement and victories were scarce commodities.

Lurie realized somewhere during the team’s long and sometimes puzzling head coaching search that he wouldn’t feel comfortable with himself unless he made every effort to secure Kelly. And it didn’t help that Kelly turned down both the Eagles and the Cleveland Browns, the latter represented by former Eagles president and current NFL archrival Joe Banner.

Whatever the Eagles did to change Kelly’s mind — and you have to wonder if they sweetened an initial offer that had to be in the neighborhood of $6 million annually — the new hire was insisting it was all on him, not management.

“They didn’t. I was sold on the Eagles the first time I met them,” Kelly said. “It was just my ties to Oregon. I have great players there (and an) unbelievable coaching staff. And that’s what made it hard. It was a human decision. But the Eagles are the Eagles. This is the NFL.

“It was really tough. I left a special place. And that’s what probably took so long for me to make a tough decision. The challenge is what I was excited about and that’s why I came. It’s a great city and franchise. But I left some great people. That was the tough part.”

Shortly thereafter the Eagles cut off questions, Kelly signed autographs and then was whisked off with a police escort, sirens blaring to the NovaCare Complex, about a 20-minute ride down Interstate 95.

You generally won’t get that for getting a coaching job in Oregon. Kelly, who’s under immense pressure to change the culture here, said he couldn’t wait to get to work. The same can be said of Eagles fans who are tired of missing the playoffs.